Fluid dispensing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A rigid fluid dispensing probe for use in the internal cleaning of oil drums. The probe is extended and retracted along an axis through the drum opening by roller forming a rigid enclosing sheath around a flexible fluid carrying tube. Because both the flexible tube and the unformed sheathing material can be compactly rolled, the probe may be extended along its axis a distance relatively long in relation to the dimensions of the entire device when the probe is fully retracted.

llnite tts Patent 1191 [11] 3,72,892 Harrington Mar. 25, 11975 FLUHD DISPENSING APPARATUS 3,243,132 3/1966 TLIylOI et 61. 1. 242/54 3,474,976 /1969 Rushin et al. 242/54 memo f Famngmn Paul 3,741,808 6 1973 Stalker; 134/167 x Minn.

[73] Assignee: Timeline 111e,, St, Paul, Min Primary Examiner-Herbert Goldstein Filed: Jan 1973 tltiggrgey, Agent, or Frrm-Schroeder Slegfned Ryan & [21] Appl. No.: 327,767

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 138/103, 134/167 R, 137/35516 A rigid fluid dispensing probe for use in the internal 242/54 R 131/287 cleaning of oil drums. The probe is extended and re- 51 1111. c1. F161 55/1111 tracted along an axis through the drum Opening y [58] Field 11 S h 134/167 R 167 C, 163 R ler forming a rigid enclosing sheath around a flexible 134/168 C 172; 137/355 16; 133/103 fluid carrying tube. Because both the flexible tube and 141/387 388 392; 239/ 197; 242/54 R the unformed sheathing material can be compactly rolled, the probe may be extended along its axis a dis- [56] References Ci d tance relatively long in relation to the dimensions of the entire device when the probe is retracted.

2,747,932 5/1956 VOlk 137/355.16 x 2 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures FLUID DISPENSING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are many applications which require the insertion of a fluid delivering tube into a large vessel through an aperture having a cross sectional area only slightly greater than the cross sectional area of the fluid delivering tube. A typical industrial application which requires the use of this sort of a device is found in several processes for the industrial reconditioning of oil barrels. Several alternative processes are known in the prior art for reconditioning of oil barrels by flushing their interior surface with a cleansing fluid. Both caustic soda and ordinary water may be used in the cleaning in various processes, but in all cases there isa problem in delivering the cleansing fluid to the interior of the drum and directing it to impinge on substantially the entire interior surface of the barrel with sufficient force to provide an adequate cleansing action. To achieve this end most of the prior art systems have employed a rigid probe for insertion into the barrel through the bung. A problem present in these prior art systems is that the rigid probe, when fully retracted requires a great deal of storage space relative to the total distance to which it may be extended when inserted into the barrel. Relatively complex mechanisms are required to insert and control such probes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT My invention is a novel device which includes a fluid delivering probe which is particularly adaptable to drum washing as well as other similar operations. Although the probe is substantially rigid when extended and inserted through the bung of an oil barrel, its novel construction allows it to be extracted from the barrel and temporarily stored in a space having dimensions considerably smaller than the distance to which the probe may be extended for insertion into a barrel. For example, in my preferred embodiment which is described in more detail below, the probe may be extended to a distance of about 48 inches. When the probe has been fully retractedand another barrel is being positioned for cleaning, a space of about 12 inches by 18 inches by 12 inches is required. This compares quite favorably to prior 'art probeswhere a 48 inch probe when fully retracted requires a space of at least 48 inches along the axis along which insertion into the barrel is made plus additional space for the various drive elements required to insert and retract the probe through the opening in the drum. As will be more fully explained below, my invention also has an advantage over the prior art since the substantially rigid probe can, in effect, be bent during retraction so as to be stored in a space having its principal dimension along an axis which is displaced from the axis along which the probe enters the drum.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the preferred embodiment of my invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the device.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 along a plane which intersects the view of FIG. 1 along the A-A axis. In both figures, the axis along which the probe may be extended is the A-A' axis with the direction of extension from right to left.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a probe nozzle 10, made from material which will not react with the cleansing fluid, is shown attached to the end of the probe. The particular application will determine somewhat the particular configuration of the nozzle selected based on consideration of the cleansing fluid to be used, its intended delivery pressure and the desired spray distribution pattern. In my preferred embodiment where water has been selected as the cleansing fluid and where the water is to be delivered at 400 psi water pressure with a desired flow rate of 6 gallons per minute, MAX. it is desirable to have the fluid stream highly dispersed as it departs from the nozzle. This is accomplished by forming a plurality of apertures 12 through the probe nozzle 10 with each of the apertures 12 having its axis substantially parallel to the A-A' axis.

The probe nozzle 10 is suitably joined to a probe sheath 20. This connection may be secured with either a rivet, a weld or an equivalent permanent connection. The probe sheath 20 was formed into a rigid substantially cylindrical shape from a ribbon 30 of flexible metal by action of parts of forming rollers 40, 50 and 60 as described below.

The joint between the probe nozzle 10 and the probe sheath20 need not be impervious-to the flow of the cleansing fluid under pressure since that fluid is carried by a tube or hose which is enclosed within the probe sheath 20 and connected with a tight seal to the probe nozzle 10 to deliver cleansing fluid under pressure to the probe nozzle 10. Tube 70 receives cleansing fluid from a fluid reservoir not shown in FIG. 1.

In the preferred embodiment, the probe sheath 20 is formed from the coiled ribbon 30 of some flexible metal having characteristics similar to spring steel which is freely rotatable about an axis indicated in FIG. 2 as B-B'. The thickness and tensile characteristics of the ribbon 30 are selected such that the ribbon can be repeatedly unrolled from the coil and formed by the rollers 40, 50 and 60 into a substantially cylindrical sheath. Obviously the width of the ribbon 30 will be slightly larger than the circumference of the tube 70.

The pairs of drive rollers forming rollers 40, 50 and 60 are used respectively for extracting the ribbon from the coil and progressively forming the ribbon into substantially cylindrical shape. The first pair of rollers 60 performs the first forming operation. As shown in FIG. 2., one of the rollers 60 has a concave cross section along an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation while the other has a corresponding convex cross section along the same axis as the first roller. The two rollers are mounted so they are rotatable around a pair of parallel axes which are displaced from each other by a distance which is just great enough so that the convex and concave rollers are nearly in contact.

After the ribbon has been partially formed by forming rollers 60, itis joined with flexible tube 70 before being passed through further forming rollers 50. Forming rollers 50 receive the flexible tube 70 and partially formed ribbon 30 from forming rollers 60 and further bend the ribbon into a more nearly cylindrical form. As indicated in FIG. 1, each of these rollers is identical with a convex cross section along an axis perpendicular to the axes of rotation of the pair of rollers.

A further pair of forming rollers 40 completes the forming process and forms the tubing 70 ribbon 30 into a now rigid and cylindrical shape. In the preferred em bodiment, it was found desirable to rotate pairs of forming rollers 40 and 60 about axes which are parallel and rotated from the axes of rotation of forming rollers 50. Rollers 40, 50, 60 and 80 are driven in synchronism by known means, not shown so that there is no slippage between the surface of the rollers and ribbon 30.

Although the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 utilizes four pairs of rollers 40, 50, 60 and 80, it is possible within the spirit of the present invention to combine, for example, the drive function of rollers 80 the forming function of rollers 60. It may also be possible in some situations to combine the forming functions of rollers 40 and 50.

Other variations of the preferred embodiment of my invention will be obvious to those skilled in the art. It is my intention to limit my invention only by the claims below.

I claim:

1. Means for directing a fluid stream into a vessel comprising:

a fluid reservoir; a flexible tube connected at one end to said fluid reservoir; a coiled ribbon of resilient metal with one end connected to the other end of said flexible tube; and means for uncoiling said coiled ribbon, and for advancing the ribbon and said flexible tube along an axis entrant to said vessel and for forming the uncoiled portion of said ribbon around said flexible tubing to form a device substantially rigid in a transverse direction to advancement. 2. Means according to claim 1 wherein said last named means comprises plural pairs of rollers shaped to unroll said coiled ribbon and form it into a body of revolution about said flexible tube. 

1. Means for directing a fluid stream into a vessel comprising: a fluid reservoir; a flexible tube connected at one end to said fluid reservoir; a coiled ribbon of resilient metal with one end connected to the other end of said flexible tube; and means for uncoiling said coiled ribbon, and for advancing the ribbon and said flexible tube along an axis entrant to said vessel and for forming the uncoiled portion of said ribbon around said flexible tubing to form a device substantially rigid in a transverse direction to advancement.
 2. Means according to claim 1 wherein said last named means comprises plural pairs of rollers shaped to unroll said coiled ribbon and form it into a body of revolution about said flexible tube. 